Oatmeal Cookies
by KaariJGib
Summary: It is Shepard's first day back to work after recovering from his injuries received at the end of ME3. Kaidan makes Shepard a treat to welcome him home. (mShenko)


The smell of cookies filled the kitchen, and Kaidan glanced over his shoulder at the timer on the oven. He still had a few minutes to go, so he pulled out a towel and started drying the dishes he'd just finished washing. The cookies had been a spur of the moment idea, thrown together quickly with the last of the oatmeal and brown sugar in the house.

He made a mental note to add that to his grocery list when his hands were dry. Luckily the ingredients were fairly easy to obtain despite lingering shortages caused by the war. Oatmeal cookies were Shepard's favorite, which was why Kaidan had decided to make them today. It was the first day Shepard had officially gone back to work, and of course he was getting home late. He'd been out of commission for so long that everyone wanted a piece of his time.

About an hour after Shepard had originally said he'd be home, a message had come through on Kaidan's omni-tool.

_How the hell did these idiots run the galaxy without me for a year?_

Kaidan had snorted and rolled his eyes. _Poorly,_ he replied.

Things were actually running a lot smoother than expected. There was nothing like imminent extinction to bring people together, after all. But for the past year letting Shepard rest and recover had been difficult. Even after they'd retreated to the privacy of Kaidan's family orchard they had received constant calls requesting Shepard's input. Kaidan had let very little of the communication through, on orders from Hackett. The Admiral wanted Shepard to take the time off and to use it to relax. He'd known what was in store for Shepard once he was done convalescing.

Even though Shepard was not a diplomat, everyone wanted his assistance with their disagreements. Once a Go-To Guy, always a Go-To Guy.

Kaidan's omni-tool flashed again a few minutes later. _I'm tempted to tell them to shove it and drag you back to the orchard. _

_Say the word,_ Kaidan sent back.

_You're a bad influence, Major._

_I learned it from the best, Commander._

Kaidan hadn't heard anything more after that and he'd looked at the clock with a sigh. He'd been home from his own meetings for quite a while, and it had felt strange coming back to an empty house. The tiny pre-fab apartment had been dark and silent instead of brightly lit, the scent of dinner wafting from the kitchen, and music filling every room.

To kill time he'd written notes on the progress of his students for a while before lack of concentration had sent him into a cleaning frenzy. Neither one of them were messy, so it hadn't taken him long to finish. It was getting dark outside, and still no further word from Shepard.

Kaidan wondered if this is what Shepard had felt like when he'd been home alone for the last two months that they'd been back in Vancouver. It was no wonder he'd been going stir crazy lately.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening, and Kaidan grinned. He dropped the dish he'd been drying back in the rack, tossed the towel on the counter and turned to walk out of the tiny kitchen. His smile faded slightly when he found Shepard leaning against the door, his eyes closed and surrounded by lines of strain.

"John? Is everything alright?" Kaidan asked as he closed the space between them.

"Just a very long day," Shepard replied, and his voice sounded as tired as he looked.

Kaidan smoothed his hands over Shepard's chest, up to his shoulders, and to the back of his neck. He squeezed the stiff muscles, and Shepard's head dropped forward to give him better access. Kaidan kissed the top of his head and left his mouth there, breathing in his scent.

"Do I smell oatmeal cookies?" Shepard asked after a moment, his voice considerably brighter than it had been.

The oven timer beeped in answer and Shepard's head came up. The lines of stress and fatigue were gone. He pushed himself away from the door, and nudged Kaidan's stomach to get him to move towards the kitchen. Kaidan chuckled, but followed the silent order.

Shepard followed him into the kitchen and waited eagerly for Kaidan to pull the sheet of cookies out of the oven. "Why don't you go change into something comfortable," Kaidan said as he began moving them to a cooling rack. "These are going to need a few minutes to cool down."

A scarred hand reached past him and grabbed one of the cookies, and Kaidan turned to see Shepard pop the whole thing in his mouth. He chewed with his mouth open, letting the heat escape so he didn't burn himself too badly. "No way," he mumbled past a mouthful of cookie.

Kaidan rolled his eyes and turned away to hide his smile.

"Besides," Shepard said more clearly after having swallowed. "They're always best when they're fresh." He reached out and grabbed another one, dodging Kaidan's attempts to slap his hand away. With prize in hand, he left the kitchen and headed toward the small bedroom at the back of the apartment.

Kaidan could have sworn he heard "Mmmm, oatmeal cookies…" from the other room. He smiled and shook his head as he moved the last of the cookies onto the rack.

When Kaidan turned around, Shepard stood behind him wearing nothing but his underwear, a knee brace, and a smile. "You look better than you did a few minutes ago," Kaidan observed.

"You know," Shepard said thoughtfully as he moved further into the small kitchen, crowding the room with his presence. "I think oatmeal cookies make everything better."

Kaidan allowed Shepard to herd him back against the counter and rolled his eyes when a strong arm reached past him to grab another cookie. "Maybe you should take some to work," he said. "For a morale boost."

"I like the way you think, Major," Shepard said cheerfully. He took a large bite out of the cookie he was holding and leaned forward to nuzzle Kaidan's jaw. His free hand went to Kaidan's waist, sliding up under his t-shirt to caress skin.

"Are you seriously going to start something while eating cookies?" Kaidan asked through a laugh.

Shepard nipped at his bottom lip before leaning back and popping the rest of the cookie into his mouth. "Why not?" he asked innocently, again with his mouth full.

"You're right," Kaidan replied with a grin. "I don't know what I was thinking."

"You must need one," Shepard answered with insincere solemnity. He grabbed another cookie and this time held it up to Kaidan's lips.

Kaidan held Shepard's gaze as he opened his mouth and bit down on the warm treat. He chewed slowly, savoring the sweet flavor. Shepard watched his mouth intently the whole time, and when Kaidan licked his lips and let out a soft moan of pleasure Shepard's pupils dilated and his breathing sped up slightly. Kaidan leaned forward and kissed Shepard deeply, enjoying the lingering sweetness mingled with the other man's distinct flavor.

"You're right," Kaidan said huskily when he finally leaned back from the kiss. "Oatmeal cookies do make things better."

Shepard stared at him in silence for a moment, his breathing rough. Then he grinned widely. "Thanks," he said.

"For the cookies?" Kaidan asked.

"For giving me the perfect ending to a long, difficult day," Shepard replied. "For a while there I was considering true retirement."

Kaidan's hands had come up to grip Shepard's hips during the kiss. Now he moved them to his ass and squeezed through the thin cloth, pulling him even closer. He glanced at the clock briefly before returning Shepard's grin. "The day isn't technically over yet," he said suggestively.

"You should plate up those cookies and bring them to the bedroom," Shepard replied. When Kaidan lifted an eyebrow at him in half-amused confusion he leaned closer and whispered against Kaidan's lips. "Because we're going to need the calories when I'm through with you…."


End file.
